Carnival Pricing seems not as good

[ckp19]

More of just a observation, I have been pricing for our next family Cruise.Looking to Sail This Jan. We were not even going to take one until late 2010 or 2011 but vacation is my sanity in a crazy job.I always want to be looking forward to something.

 

So this time we are going 4 in a cabin instead of 2 connecting for budget purposes.

 

After pricing all the lines that ineterested us, I was surprissed to find that Carnival is not the least expensive anymore due to 3rd and 4th passeneger pricing. I just figured that Carnival would adjust there 3rd and 4th passenger pricing where they are a very family orientated Cruise Line.

 

Has Carnival always been like this. All of our previous cruises on Carniavl were just the 2 of us. The Kiddies have now been coming with us. For now we are leaning towards the NCL Pearl ($99 3rd and 4th passenger fares.)

 

Just Curoius

[firefly333]

NCL has been cheaper for a while and maybe with good reason. They also nickle and dime their pax more, more pay restaurants. Who wants to give up traditional dining, not me. Lots of complaints. Read some reviews. Some love NCL just like some love Carnival though, so its your decision. But yep, NCL has some great deals. Not new.

[JaniceB]

I noticed that the 3&4th passenger fares seemed a little higher than we had previously paid. I didn't question it, but glad someone else did.

 

Janice

[Warm Breezes]

NCL has been cheaper for a while and maybe with good reason. They also nickle and dime their pax more, more pay restaurants. Who wants to give up traditional dining, not me. Lots of complaints. Read some reviews. Some love NCL just like some love Carnival though, so its your decision. But yep, NCL has some great deals. Not new.

As someone who has traveled both NCL and Carnival I can tell you that you still have main restaurants, buffets, and diner type restaurants on NCL that do not charge. I did not notice them "nickle and diming" me anymore than Carnival. I just look at where I want to travel and when and pick the cruise that is most affordable. Sometimes that is Carnival and sometimes that is NCL. What I spend on-board from the "nickle and diming" is up to me not the cruise line - so I don't consider that a factor. I would just pick the cruise that fit my needs and budget and not worry if it was NCL or Carnival.

[martinchem]

We enjoy both cruises lines, but Carnival much more. We find that pricing today is a lot cheaper than it was 5-6 years ago. So enjoy yourself, we do!

[mom2tcdx2]

I think the price varies greatly depending on time of year, ship, etc. I priced the Epic for NCL and didn't get anything that had a $99 3/4 passenger rate. Same goes for Carnival they advertise they do offer cruise fares with the 3/4 passenger rate at $99 just depends on what ship you are looking at, sail date, etc.

[falconfan]

More of just a observation, I have been pricing for our next family Cruise.Looking to Sail This Jan. We were not even going to take one until late 2010 or 2011 but vacation is my sanity in a crazy job.I always want to be looking forward to something.

 

So this time we are going 4 in a cabin instead of 2 connecting for budget purposes.

 

After pricing all the lines that ineterested us, I was surprissed to find that Carnival is not the least expensive anymore due to 3rd and 4th passeneger pricing. I just figured that Carnival would adjust there 3rd and 4th passenger pricing where they are a very family orientated Cruise Line.

 

Has Carnival always been like this. All of our previous cruises on Carniavl were just the 2 of us. The Kiddies have now been coming with us. For now we are leaning towards the NCL Pearl ($99 3rd and 4th passenger fares.)

 

Just Curoius

 

Wondering what port, destnation, and ship this was for. At that price I would love to try NCL out, unless the first two pax price was through the roof.

[FireIce0010]

NCL has been cheaper for a while and maybe with good reason. They also nickle and dime their pax more, more pay restaurants. Who wants to give up traditional dining, not me. Lots of complaints. Read some reviews. Some love NCL just like some love Carnival though, so its your decision. But yep, NCL has some great deals. Not new.

 

You're not nickel and dimed on NCL anymore than you are the other main stream lines. NCL still gives you at two main dining rooms, lido and most have a 24 hour dining option for things like wings and burgers. The surcharge dining locations are an option and they are good too. In my book NCL rates higher than Carnival but then all cruise lines in my book rate higher than Carnival.

[GOLDENBONNY]

More of just a observation, I have been pricing for our next family Cruise.Looking to Sail This Jan. We were not even going to take one until late 2010 or 2011 but vacation is my sanity in a crazy job.I always want to be looking forward to something.

 

So this time we are going 4 in a cabin instead of 2 connecting for budget purposes.

 

After pricing all the lines that ineterested us, I was surprissed to find that Carnival is not the least expensive anymore due to 3rd and 4th passeneger pricing. I just figured that Carnival would adjust there 3rd and 4th passenger pricing where they are a very family orientated Cruise Line.

 

Has Carnival always been like this. All of our previous cruises on Carniavl were just the 2 of us. The Kiddies have now been coming with us. For now we are leaning towards the NCL Pearl ($99 3rd and 4th passenger fares.)

 

Just Curoius

 

You will get what you pay for on NCL;)

[pe4all]

We, unfortunately, get "stuck" paying the highest prices, as we can only cruise during school vacations. At those times I do find the 3/4th passenger price almost as much as the 1st/2nd passenger price! In fact, once we even splurged and got adjoining balcony cabins, as the price difference for 4 in a cabin v 2 in a cabin was only $400! I have never yet paid under $595 pp for our 2 kids in the same cabin with us- I would jump on $99, even if it was another cruise line!

[BonnieVA]

NCL has been cheaper for a while and maybe with good reason. They also nickle and dime their pax more, more pay restaurants. Who wants to give up traditional dining, not me.

 

As far as nickle & diming ... I think both lines are equal in this category. As has been mentioned, NCL DOES have main dining rooms which are no extra cost. But, yes, they do not have "traditional" dining in the sense that you eat in the same place, at the same table, have the same table mates & same wiaters ... you get to pick when, where, w/ whom you eat.

 

In our experience, there are things that we liked better on CCL & things we liked better on NCL. But both are decent cruise lines.

[zqvol]

More of just a observation, I have been pricing for our next family Cruise.Looking to Sail This Jan. We were not even going to take one until late 2010 or 2011 but vacation is my sanity in a crazy job.I always want to be looking forward to something.

 

So this time we are going 4 in a cabin instead of 2 connecting for budget purposes.

 

After pricing all the lines that ineterested us, I was surprissed to find that Carnival is not the least expensive anymore due to 3rd and 4th passeneger pricing. I just figured that Carnival would adjust there 3rd and 4th passenger pricing where they are a very family orientated Cruise Line.

 

Has Carnival always been like this. All of our previous cruises on Carniavl were just the 2 of us. The Kiddies have now been coming with us. For now we are leaning towards the NCL Pearl ($99 3rd and 4th passenger fares.)

 

Just Curoius

 

NCL is running a special right now. We just booked a December cruise with them because we are getting tired of the same Carnival itineraries. BTW we have sailed both NCL and Carnival and there is no more nickle and dimeing on NCL than on Carnival. You can board NCL and just like on Carnival not spend a penny on board and have a great cruise.

[trock]

not much difference between NCL and Carnival... EXCEPT the food has been better on Carnival...